


out of the woods

by cherry_red



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Kingdom, M/M, i just want to write snarky Soonyoung covered in blood so, sad but also a bit horny, this is not the sweet seoksoon royalty au you are looking for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:14:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23376724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherry_red/pseuds/cherry_red
Summary: Despite the absolute horror of it all, his looks still stood out. The man had fair skin, far too fair for someone who supposedly trained under the sun all day. The hair also didn't belong, most was not blessed with light colour and his was such a delicate shade made to stand out and adored. His features, from his fuller pink lips to the slant of his eyes, were striking. His gaze, attractive as it was, demanded respect. As if this man was used to command a room full of people and bend them to his will.Pretty was much too simple of a word to call him by.
Relationships: Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Seokmin | DK
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	out of the woods

**Author's Note:**

> was going to make this fun and lighthearted but then angst happened, the heart wants what it wants I guess  
> do listen to rv's kingdom come when you are reading this  
> prompt: a burning castle, thorns, an ancient prophecy

The crackling sound of burning wood was the first thing Seokmin noticed when the trees finally cleared from his path. The second was a man with black brown streaks in his unnaturally silver hair holding a lit torch in his right hand. 

"You are late."

The smell of oil hit him hard as he cautiously walked closer. Thick and disgusting. The man stomped furiously at the pile of leaves near the puddle, probably trying to rid the grease staining bottom of his boots. The fire in his hand danced dangerously close to his head.

The castle stood strong meters away from where they were. It was not hard coming to the conclusion about what he was about to do.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Never been more uncertain," He scoffed humorlessly, "Fire weakens them. It's not like I have other choices."

So he really was late then. "Do you know if the princess managed to escape?"

"The princess," The man turned around and grinned, almost manically so, "I am about to burn the castle and of course that's the only thing you care about."

There was an air of royalty about him, even with how disheveled he seemed. Perhaps he was born in a knight bloodline. The man stood still and the prince could tell the strength trained to his body, hidden under unassuming clothes. He wore a pale lilac tunic with what looked like a family crest embroidered along the length of the sleeve. A sheathed sword was tied on his narrow hip. 

There were splotches all over his clothes, put in a familiar pattern the prince was trying to remember from where. It didn't stop there, he could see it maring his shoulder, the tip of his ear, and some strand of his hair. 

Shiver ran down his back when Seokmin realized the man was covered in blood. 

Despite the absolute horror of it all, his looks still stood out. The man had fair skin, far too fair for someone who supposedly trained under the sun all day. The hair also didn't belong, most was not blessed with light colour and his was such a delicate shade made to stand out and adored. His features, from his fuller pink lips to the slant of his eyes, were striking. His gaze, attractive as it was, demanded respect. As if this man was used to command a room full of people and bend them to his will. 

Pretty was much too simple of a word to call him by.

Seokmin heard the tale before, stories about cursed knights dripping in blood. They were _always_ gorgeous, always chosen so _._ Lithe beings who looked too frail to be on the front line. A good kingdom always hid a few of them, to be used as honey traps most of the time. Fine things trained to kill with no morale to feel remorse over it. 

His own had two of them, enchanting twins a few years older than him. They were nice to him. Seokmin was a man of courage but even then he always got a subtle fear itching under his skin every time they crossed paths in the hallway.

This beautiful creature must be one of them.

"Kingdoms fall all the time. I am just here to finish the phropercy." 

"As I thought," The supposed knight made a show to bend his body mockingly before continuing, "The rumored prince charming."

Not many dared to be so openly insolent to him. Seokmin rebuked, "And who are you?"

The tale fell fluently from his lips.

_One day the prince will meet them, the one blessed with beauty and grace_

_The one with nimble fingers destined to hold sword and fire_

_The one adored with hair fine and silver_

_They will dance and dance and fall in love, as they do_

_And they are to wed proper before the beautiful one faints_

_And they are to wed proper –_

"– before It comes and turns their world to ashes." Soonyoung chuckled, "Bit condescending of them telling me that my beauty will fade away the second I turn twenty don't you think?"

The prophecy was never about a princess. Seokmin should have realized it sooner. 

“Sadly no one but me left from the royal family to welcome you now,” The prince echoed the first thing he said to him, "You are late." 

“I-” Seokmin swallowed the sudden guilt creeping up his throat, “I am sorry that happened to you.”

“How polite,” Soonyoung shook his head, “Where is the cold, cold prince I met earlier?” 

“I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

Fire crawled fast the moment Soonyoung lowered the torch to the oil. It licked the walls of the castle and left sooth behind. It wouldn't be long before everything became ashes as it was written in the prophecy. 

He took a long suffering sigh, “It’s kind of pathetic that I still feel like I can’t blame you for this mess.”

The excuses he was so ready to throw died in his lips because deep down Seokmin _knew_ he was at fault. Million thoughts ran all at once in his head; he should have brought a faster horse, he should have gone days earlier, he shouldn’t have stopped to sleep so often, he should have done more, _so much more_. Everything halted when he walked to him.

"Now that you know who I am and what you did cost my family," Soonyoung strode closer to the other. He spread his bloody fingers on Seokmin's plate armor and coloured it dark before slightly pushing him to make a statement, "Do you still want to bed and wed me proper, prince charming?" 

“Yes,” Seokmin grabbed the hand on his chest, “I will fight them.”

It was cute how sure he sounded about the thing he said. In another time, it must have felt nice to have such dedication directed at him, “No.”

“I’ll fight them for you.”

“You don’t understand,” Soonyoung huffed. It was not the right time and place to be so stubborn, “Do you think I didn’t try to do that? To fight? If you can’t tell, I barely escaped them with my life. I don’t want to have your blood in my hands.”

Seokmin bristled, “I’ll protect you.”

Oh what a sweet prince he was.

“We are not ready, and monsters don't wait for you to be ready." Soonyoung pulled his hand from the other grasp, “Those things won't stop until both of us are six feet under."

“And what we are supposed to do now?”

“You can wait and fight a losing battle here, my prince,” Soonyoung gently touched his cheek, placating him, “Or you can run with me.”

Seokmin didn’t like the idea of running. He watched the other hurried gathering his belongings around. He thought about this man, an alluring being who had him at the first sight, someone who surely went through the same education and training as he did, the one Seokmin was sure could hold his ground if they were to fight. He felt for the prince who had fallen. 

The thought of his darling hiding his misery after the loss of everything he had was enough to get Seokmin to agree to whatever Soonyoung asked of him.

"I'd love to think that everything in fairy tales is sweet. Curled thorns protecting my castle, kind godmother guiding you to me, and the curse of eternal sleep until you come and kiss me awake," Soonyoung smiles sadly. He gently touched Seokmin’s hand and urged him to start moving, "Instead I have to burn my home down and run with someone who came much too late."

\---

Seokmin always thought his wedding night would be sweet.

It was always in his own chamber back at the castle. His beautiful bride waiting still on the bed. She would wear white dress and scented like lillies, befitting a pure innocence a princess surely possessed. Her voice rang tender in his ears. They would lead a wonderful life together after, until the end. It was his idea of a happily ever after.

He never imagined his bride would be someone like Soonyoung.

They decided to get married at sunset as a sad attempt to appease the curse. They planned to make their promise, simple standard words, in a small town church with a priest whose name neither of them bothered to remember. The prince bought two similar black robes to wear for the ceremony. His intended laughed when he saw it, said it wasn’t that different from the ruined royal tunic he wore before. 

It was the first time Seokmin heard his real name too, spoken to him once just minutes away before they stood together at the altar.

What a lovely name, Kwon Soonyoung.

The prince took his time taking his clothes off the moment they were hidden behind the closed door, peeling layer by layer carefully before doing the same thing to Seokmin. Soonyoung's fingers were cold when he touched the skin and his lips were hot and tasted like alcohol when they kissed. Blunt nails hurt his scalp when the owner pulled him and made them fall on the bed. 

Everything felt wrong because neither of them really wanted to do it. Not the way it had to be. Pretty things were not fun to play with when there was a threat of death hanging far too close for comfort.

Seokmin always thought his wedding night would be sweet. Instead he held his mourning prince close when he tired and collapsed, as if he could glue his broken pieces back together if he held tight enough. Defeat was not a good look on such a beautiful creature like him.

And when the night was late and he could hear his husband sobbed softly to his pillow, Seokmin stayed quiet. There was nothing either of them could do to undid what had happened. So he closed his eyes and pretended not to hear the shame. 

They were not good enough to win, but also not foolish enough to fight and die in vain. All they could do for now was

_Run._


End file.
